Stuck in Immaturity

I have met many young adults whose maturity level seemed to be stuck at the age at which they began to raise themselves. They either started making their own decisions at a certain age, and that froze their advance, or they were thrown out at a certain age, and that froze their advance. Their skills for obtaining resources may have continued to grow, but their maturity – how they respond to opportunities and dangers – was still stuck at 14 or 16.

The ones I saw pull out of the slump gained the knowledge of their calling by Yahweh to purpose. This sense of responsibility, this purpose for their life forced them into a level of devotion and determination that made their value system shift. Comfort became less important than completion. Character became more important than popularity. Success became more important than fear of pain.

No matter the cause of their early requirement of making decisions, the end can be the same – devotion and determination and obedience to the call of Yahweh. The empowerment by His Spirit to become rooted and grounded in love, and determined to bring Him joy without regard for the cost. I cannot encounter a cost that is greater than His worthiness to be blessed.

If you’re stuck, get unstuck. If you are not sure what He has called you to, ask. Seek. Knock until the answer is opened to you, and walk in that answer without regard for the cost, because the reward will be immeasurably grander than the cost. We cannot continue to be children and get where we are being led in the Spirit.

From then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to You!”
But He turned and told Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s.”
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will reward each according to what he has done. I assure you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

(Matthew 16:21-28 HCSB ©®)

“I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”
(John 12:24-26 HCSB ©®)